The One with a New Era
by GraceN28
Summary: It's 16 years since the Friends finale. This is a possible after for the events of the sitcom, from the point of view of Erica, with Joey finally settling down and Phoebe and Mike starting a family. But one Thanksgiving, Joey drops a bombshell, leaving everyone reeling. As Erica comforts someone close to him, she quickly finds herself in deeper then she thought...
1. Chapter One- The Beginning of the End

Part One

I'm Erica. Erica Bing. I'm adopted.

For most people, they always comment on how lucky I am to have two parents that want me, love me that much. But I see it that I had two parents who didn't want me, didn't love me that much.

Don't get me wrong, I love my mum and dad. They're really cool; well, Dad thinks he is, anyway. Dad's like the king of awful jokes, and Mom's the only person he can make laugh.

I was adopted as a twin, which doesn't make me feel totally alone. Jack is really cool. I can basically talk to him about anything.

We have three cousins too; Ben, Emma and Izzy. Emma's two and a half years older than me, but she acts like she's a full on adult, and I'm a child. Izzy is two years younger than me, and is a bit annoying. She follows me round all the time; Mom thinks its sweet. Ben is eight years older than me, and frankly doesn't really care about me. We don't see him as much, because of his moms. They're lesbians, and Uncle Ross used to be married to Aunt Carol. If you ask me, I'm glad they divorced, because I cannot imagine Uncle Ross without Auntie Rachel. Auntie Rach is my favourite grown-up lady. She's so sophisticated; she's a full on fashion designer for Dolce and Gabbana- I couldn't pronounce it until I was thirteen!

Me and Jack are sixteen now, and we're helping tidy the house for Thanksgiving. Aunt Phoebe and Uncle Mike will be here any minute with their four children- Freddie, Vincent, Connie and Frey. They're all younger than me; Freddie by a year, Vincent two years, Connie (short for Consuela; I've never got the joke) four years and Frey by six. Frey's tiny, and soo cute. She's nine, so she's a little bit of a madam- but when she's older, she'll awesome.

'ERICA!' Mom yells up the stairs. 'Come help Jack clean the linen cupboard!'

Linen cupboard? Why would Uncle Joey, Aunt Phoebe and Uncle Mike care about the linen cupboard?

'NOW!' Mom shouts.

'Fine,' I mutter, trudging out of my room and onto the landing. Bizarrely, I see Jack hiding behind the china cabinet, looking terrified.

I stare incredulously at him.

He wriggles around a bit uncomfortably, and then he sees me. Guiltily, he averts my gaze.

'Jack?'

'Mm?'

'What on Earth are you doing?'

He tries to cover up a splutter of laughter as he realises how ridiculous he must look. I look at him expectantly, until sheepishly he admits that 'Ivy's here.'

Ivy is three years older than us, and is Uncle Joey's stepdaughter. Also, she's the most beautiful girl I've ever met. Like, she practically glows.

'Ah,' I sigh. Then I burst out laughing.

'You are a wimp, Jack Bing!' I screech. He glares at me.

'Hey! It's not my fault... even Ben fancies her!' Jack protests, while I guffaw.

My enthusiastic raucousness must have alerted Mom, who then came to the bottom of the stairs and yelled at us both to 'Get down here right now and help.' Rude.

While I wash up the dishes from breakfast, I watch amusedly as Jack gazes like a puppy dog at Ivy. She's on her phone, scrolling through Snapchat or something. She sees Jack staring, and smiles nicely. He goes white, and blabbers something about nice weather, and then runs off. I stifle a laugh, especially when Mom sees and looks questionably at me, eyebrows raised. I smile secretly.

Just then, the doorbell rings.

'Erica, can you get that?' Dad says, midway through reviewing Uncle Joey's taxes.

I open the door, and am greeted with a perfumey, stifling hug. Auntie Rach!

I grin at them all, and Uncle Ross hands me some sort of bone. He seriously informs me that 'This bone will get you all the guys... don't tell your dad I said that, though.'

I quench down a laugh, and thank him.

Uncle Ross and Auntie Rach go into the living room, leaving me with Ben, Emma and Izzy.

Emma rolls her eyes, and gets out her phone, Ben already on it. Izzy gazes adoringly at me.

'OK!' I say, faking enthusiasm. 'Do you guys want some Mini Rolls?'

Ben nods at me, smiling, while Emma goes 'OhmyGod, _no, _Erica, those things have like calories and will definitely halt my metabolism,' Emma states, swishing her hair and following her parents into the house, Ben and Izzy behind her.

Great, I think. This going to be hell.

After Aunt Phoebe and her clan arrived, Mom sat everyone round the table and served two huge turkeys. Uncle Joey licked his lips ravishingly.

We were all tucking into our food, when Uncle Joey and Lilia, his wife of two years (mother of the evervescant Ivy) shared a knowing look. Uncle Joey put down his fork.

The moment he did, Auntie Rach said quickly, 'Jeez Joe, are you OK? You're not eating.'

Straight away, Aunt Phoebe, Uncle Ross, Mom and Dad stop eating and stare at him worriedly.

'Joe?' Dad says.

Uncle Joey grins sheepishly. He reaches across for Lilia's hand, and surveys the table. Even Emma stops inspecting her Titanic-sinking nose to see what's going on.

Lilia smiles, and her dark brown eyes light up as she says, 'We have something to tell you...'

Uncle Joey smiles widely as he announces, 'Lilia's pregnant!'


	2. Chapter Two- The Reaction

Part Two

There's silence for a moment, as everyone processes Uncle Joey's news.

Then, like a firework, everyone erupts.

'Wow, wow, _wow!_' Aunt Phoebe says ecstatically.

'Oh, _Joe_!' Auntie Rach cries, fanning her face as Uncle Ross massages her shoulders comfortingly. He stares at Uncle Joey with moist eyes, and says 'Dude!' emotionally

Mom and Dad leap up to hug them both, Lilia's eyes glassy. She's smiling too, her entire face lit up.

Even Emma is sitting up, looking begrudgingly happy. (After Ben elbowed her sternly, but still.)

Aunt Phoebe's kids are staring in wonderment at Lilia's stomach. Vincent says reproachingly 'So how does it fit?', making everyone laugh.

It's a scene of happiness, ecstacy, everyone joyful and emotional. I smile at. everyone's happy faces, surveying the mass gathering of people round the dining table.

Until I see Ivy.

Her beautiful face is flabbergasted, her eyes wide and stunned. She shakes her head, as if she's imagining everything, like she can't believe it's real. Then she looks at everyone, as if she doesn't know why they're happy.

I'm confused. Did she not know?

Judging by the look on her face, she didn't. And I can see I'm not the only one worried about her; Ben is staring at her concernedly too, Jack looking on with jealousy.

Lilia touches Ivy's arm, ever so gently, and says 'Darling?'

Ivy shrugs off her mom's hand, standing up. The table falls silent.

Uncle Joey looks at her. 'Ivy? We thought you'd be happy?'

Ivy looks at him, and she looks betrayed. I can tell Uncle Joey is startled, and hurt.

Ivy mumbled something about being alone, and runs upstairs.

Auntie Rach makes eye contact with Emma, silently urging her to go after her. It annoys me that they completely overlook me. Why couldn't I be friends with Ivy? Emma's only one and a half years older than me.

To prove a point, I stand up myself and walk out the dining room after Ivy. Someone should.

I walk upstairs, beginning to regret my decision. I don't know Ivy that well! Sure, she's very nice, and ethereally beautiful, but I have absolutely nothing in common with her. I think.

She's nineteen! To me, that's big. To Emma, she's directly between the two of us so isn't fazed and yet again comes off looking like Miss Perfect when she inevitably makes her feel beggdf Well for once, I want to outdo my cousin. I'll be the one to comfort Ivy, and help her understand that a new baby sibling is a good thing. Although, thinking about it, it is pretty bad. I mean, God I'd hate someone other than Jack as a sibling. The age difference as well! It'll be even bigger with Ivy and the baby. Jesus, she must be feeling awful right now.

I walk past Jack's room, and see her in there. She's sitting on his window seat, staring out into the front yard. She's not crying.

I knock gently on the door.

'Emma?' she says hopefully. I grit my teeth. 'Nope. It's Erica.'

'Oh!' she says, surprised but nicely. 'I... didn't expect you.'

Right. Great start.

'Are you OK?' I ask her tactfully.

She sighs, and sweeps her dark brown hair off her forehead. Seriously though, how is it so glossy?!

'I don't know,' she says matter-of-factly. I'm not sure what to say.

Suddenly she explodes.

'I mean, what are they thinking?! She's 47! Has she not been through the menopause by now?'

Sheesh. Must tread carefully.

'Uh...'

'And Joey's 51! When his kid is eighteen, he's gonna be nearly 70. Thats not good, Erica, it's really not.'

Again. Not too sure what to say.

Ivy jumps up, combing her hair back with her hands.

'This is mental. This is absolutely mental.'

She stops for a minute, breathing in and out heavily.

'I've gotta go tell them that it's mental.' she says, walking towards the door.

Ah, should probably step in now.

'Maybe... maybe you shouldn't tell them that right now!' I interject, grabbing her arm.

Ivy looks at me, bemused. 'OK, you don't have any idea what you're talking about, Erica.'

I'm thrown. What?

'I mean, you're just a kid.'

And with that, Ivy jumps up and sweeps out the room. I hear her collide with Emma on the landing; Emma says 'Aw Ive, it'll be OK!'

'No, it won't,' Ivy says, choked up. 'I'm gonna move out, this new baby is going to replace me and everything's going to change!'

I hear Emma comfort her, and see Ivy accept her hug. I roll my eyes, but immediately regret it; of course, it makes me seem like a little kid.

Even though I don't wanna be the little kid.


End file.
